Risk
by JoySPC
Summary: Don't you hate it when people switch rules in the middle of the game?


Risk  
  
Chapter 1: Bound and Unbound  
  
The usual disclaimer: They aren't mine (Well except for Tanner--that bad, bad boy). They belong to Bellisario and CBS. I'm only playing. Please don't sue me. I'm an academic with no money! This story a sequel to my story Chess. It is set in the seventh season and is AU (as will become clear).   
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*You are what you do,* Clayton Webb thought. He believed in his line of work, but still there were times when he hated his job fiercely and thus hated himself fiercely. This was one of those times. Admiral Chegwidden's gaze snapped up from the sealed orders he had just finished reading. Webb did not flinch but   
  
it took effort.  
  
"No! Absolutely not! Tell them I'll see them in hell first!"  
  
Webb sighed. Orders were orders. "I'm sorry Admiral, believe me, but this is too important--Code Delta, Alpha Niner. Recognition Sign: Bound."   
  
Chegwidden felt the folder slip from his hands and his attention as he listened to the voice that had expanded to fill every corner of his mind.  
  
* * *  
  
"Gentleman," Tanner sang out merrily as he ducked out of sight, "I'll leave you to contemplate the verities of fortune." His grin was not at all nice.   
  
"For the first time I'm beginning to think I'm going to enjoy killing that arrogant bastard," Chegwidden grated as he tried the handcuffs once again. No good.   
  
"Any Luck?" asked Harm.   
  
"Nope. The cuffs are too tight to try dislocating my thumb and whatever Tanner shot me up with is still hanging on I need to be fully alert for the enhanced strength to work." Chegwidden shifted again trying this time for a more comfortable position on the cave's hard stone. His wrists were cuffed to Harm's with two sets of cuffs and they were tied back-to-back just for good measure. His ankles were already numb from the restraints on them. His hands wouldn't be far behind.   
  
"Anyway, " he reminded Harm, "even if I could break the cuffs I'd likely break your arm doing it-- or pull it out of its socket. *Appealing as that idea is at times. . .*  
  
"I'd prefer, armless to dead at this point, sir. Unfortunately we've got no leverage in this position. Maybe if we could get the rope off. . ." It was Harm's turn to squirm and Chegwidden winced as the movement jarred his bruised ribs.  
  
"The rope was a nice touch," he said as he struggled to help shimmy free of it. "That's Tanner, always prepared-If I had a lock pick for every time those damn spooks underestimated him . . ." Harm grunted in the middle of his own twisting gymnastics. In other circumstances this might be funny. As it was the Chegwidden felt like a worm trying to dance. A very deeply buried worm.   
  
" I think our friend probably had you made before you even left the states," Harm said when they stopped for a rest.   
  
"Probably" *Could be he had some inside help, but best not to mention that right now, we've got enough to worry about.*   
  
"If he knew you were on to him, you can bet Tanner has contingencies for what he's planning. This could get even uglier"  
  
Chegwidden let a little exasperation creep into his tone, "Tanner is playing for keeps. That's why I didn't want you following me. . .either of you."  
  
"With all due respect sir, you didn't think you could just disappear without us trying to find you, did you?"   
  
Chegwidden repressed a pained sigh. *I'll bet it did punch all your buttons at that, sorry son.* Out loud he said, "This whole thing was not my idea."  
  
"Wasn't mine either. I'd have put a bedpan or something in here." They both laughed, sharp and harsh like a pick against the surrounding rocks. They were thirsty too. At least all that squirming had done its work. Chegwidden could feel the rope was loose. Not that it did them much good. Mutually out of inspiration they sank back down.  
  
"God," Harm panted "once was enough for me with this damn country. Did you know I came here when I was a kid, looking for my Dad? Snuck away from summer camp. I was too old to wet my pants then much less now." His snicker converted itself into a cough.  
  
"Don't worry, Rabb, " Chegwidden offered after a moment, "MacKenzie'll bring the cavalry to rescue your bladder."  
  
"She'll pull both our skins out of the fire--If she got away" Harm's voice was flat but Chegwidden felt his back stiffen. *No way out and nothing to do but worry. Time to distract wonder boy.*  
  
"You know how resourceful *Sarah* is. . ." He laid subtle emphasis on the name and concentrated on drawing imaginary lines on the blackness in front of him, horizontal then vertical. He picked magenta, a nice bright color. He was betting he wouldn't get past five.  
  
"Admiral,"   
  
*Here it comes.* "Yeah?"  
  
"When I walked in on you the other day were you two. . ."  
  
"Kissing--what of it?"  
  
"Don't you think that's a little. . .inappropriate."  
  
"It's not going to work to tell you that this is none of your damn business is it?"  
  
"No sir."  
  
"I didn't think so, Commander. Point one: I'm retired. Sarah Mackenzie is not in my chain of command anymore. I don't have to give a flying fart about. regs."  
  
"That retirement thing was just a sham though sir. When you go back it might be. . .awkward."  
  
"Point two: I'm not going back."  
  
"Sir. . ."  
  
Chegwidden bit down hard on his temper but not too hard. Maybe if he got pissed the drug would vacate his system faster. "What do you think black ops means, *Commander*? Do you think for one moment that THEY are going to let me live after I've served THEIR purposes. They still don't know how Tanner broke   
  
his programming They've already got one rogue from their little experiment--they won't give me a chance to be number two."  
  
Harm was quiet for ten more lines or so. Chegwidden could feel him gathering himself. "If you were so sure you were a dead man why did you kiss her? She doesn't need another ghost lover."   
  
*She may get two,* thought Chegwidden. "Point Three: She kissed me," he said.  
  
"She What!"   
  
Chegwidden smiled broadly, knowing Harm couldn't see it. This was almost better than he had imagined it would be. "I suppose her finding me attractive is an impossibility?"  
  
"I didn't mean. . ."  
  
"Yes you did." He sighed. "Rabb, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want her to kiss me. How often do you get what you want?"  
  
"Sir, what you and Mac do. . ."  
  
"Isn't any of your business. I thought we covered that. I don't see you backing off regardless."  
  
"I don't want her to get hurt." He sounded almost sulky. Chegwidden felt himself coming more awake. His programming demanded a chase with a kill at the end of it, but there was more than one kind of hunt.  
  
"Point taken-what do you want?"  
  
"I. . ."  
  
"You heard me. It's a simple question. What-do-you--want?"  
  
* * *  
  
Mac sank down with her back to a tree. She took a slow deep breath and then another. Her overstrained muscles were demanding her lungs gasp for more air, but she wasn't sure she had shaken all of her pursuers so she tried to breathe quietly. The jungle around her seemed to breathe with her, leaves rustling. She tried to listen for voices, footsteps, anything that might tell her if she had gotten away clean. The canopy was shrieking with bird noise. That argued she was safe for the moment. Something long and many legged crawled across her thigh. She brushed it away and reached for the canteen at her hip. The warm musty water did precious little to cut the acid taste in her mouth. What she wouldn't give for a ginger-ale over ice right now! *or more bullets.* Even with the stolen Uzi, her mental estimate told her that she would be   
  
out of ammo after one more encounter like the last one. *I don't fancy Laos as my final resting place.* She at least wanted to live to wring Webb's neck. 


End file.
